Technical Field
This disclosure relates generally to audio processing methods and systems.
Related Art
The anatomy of the human ear, and its impact on processing of received sounds in the environment, have been widely investigated and studied. One approach, such as described in U.S. Publication No. 2008/0050710, is to provide a training model of the human ear to train new doctors and medical students to diagnose pathologies that might impact hearing. In that disclosure, an anatomical model for training includes a head portion, at least one auricle portion, at least one ear canal, and a cartridge. The cartridge is adaptable to mimic at least one pathology of the human ear. Another approach to providing an anatomical model of this type for training purposes is described in U.S. Publication No. 2012/0088215. This publication describes an otoscopic model that includes an artificial ear, an artificial head and at least one tympanic membrane portion. The artificial ear includes a base portion and an ear portion extending from the base and having ear-like features including an auditory canal. The artificial head includes an opening adapted to receive the base portion. The at least one tympanic membrane portion includes an artificial tympanic membrane. The tympanic membrane portion is configured to be coupled with the artificial ear such that the artificial tympanic membrane is located relative to the auditory canal in a generally anatomically correct manner. Other modeling and measuring approaches include, for example, U.S. Publication No, 2015/0341733, which describes a measurement device for evaluating an acoustic device, where the acoustic device allows sound to be heard via vibration transmission by having a housing provided with a vibrating element to be held by a head including a human ear. The measurement device includes an ear model unit modeled after a human ear, a model of a human body that holds the acoustic device, and a vibration detector disposed in the ear model unit.
While these and other devices and techniques like are useful, e.g., for medical training, there remains a need to provide improved devices and methods.